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Winston-Salem, NC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a forklift operator make in Winston-Salem, NC?

In the Winston-Salem, NC metropolitan area, forklift operators earned a median of $43,100 a year ($20.72 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,560 of these jobs there. That is 7% below the $46,380 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $35,740 and $52,180; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and North Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $35,600 in take-home pay.

Forklift operator pay in Winston-Salem, NC at a glance

Median salary

$43,100$20.72 per hour · $3,592 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$35,740$17.18/hr
25th percentile$38,100$18.32/hr
75th percentile$46,030$22.13/hr
90th percentile$52,180$25.09/hr
Jobs in this metro1,560Location quotient 1.15 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here7% belowAll-jobs median $46,380
Against North Carolina1% belowStatewide median $43,420
Against the U.S.7% belowNational median $46,420

Run the numbers on your own pay

Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Take-home payWhat $43,000 a year leaves after tax in North CarolinaFederal tax, FICA and North Carolina withholding on that salary, with the other 49 states beside it.
By the hour$21 an hour is how much a yearWeekly, biweekly and monthly gross at 2,080 hours, plus time and a half.
HousingWhat a $43,000 salary buys at today's ratesPrice range, down payment and the monthly payment behind it, on current mortgage rates.
Local pricesWhat $43,000 is worth where you liveRent, groceries and the local price level against the national average.
Same stateEvery occupation North Carolina publishes a wage forThe biggest employers, the best paid, and what is distinctive about North Carolina.

Forklift operator salary in Winston-Salem, NC after taxes

$43,100
$15,000$90,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$43,100
Net 83%
Fed 7%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$35,600After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,967Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,369Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,992 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$1,211 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,297 / yr
Customize deductions in full North Carolina calculator

Forklift operators pay range in Winston-Salem, NC, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Winston-Salem, NC metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What forklift operators earned in the Winston-Salem, NC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NC)
10th percentile$17.18/hr$2,978$35,740$29,980
25th percentile$18.32/hr$3,175$38,100$31,782
MedianMedian$20.72/hr$3,592$43,100$35,600
75th percentile$22.13/hr$3,836$46,030$37,837
90th percentile$25.09/hr$4,348$52,180$42,533

Is $43,100 a good salary in Winston-Salem, NC?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for forklift operators next to both.

Median household income$65,975Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.08% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household65.3%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

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Forklift operators pay in other North Carolina metros

Metros in the same state that are closest in size to Winston-Salem, NC. A statewide average can hide differences this large.

Forklift operator pay in Winston-Salem, NC: common questions

What is the median salary for forklift operators in Winston-Salem, NC?

The BLS median annual wage for forklift operators in the Winston-Salem, NC metro area was $43,100 in May 2025, about $3,592 a month or $20.72 an hour. Statewide, the North Carolina median for this job is $43,420, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for forklift operators in Winston-Salem, NC?

The median hourly wage for forklift operators in Winston-Salem, NC was $20.72 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $17.18 an hour and one in ten earned more than $25.09.

How many forklift operators work in Winston-Salem, NC?

BLS estimated 1,560 jobs for forklift operators in the metro in May 2025, or 5.7 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.15 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for forklift operators in Winston-Salem, NC?

BLS wage estimates for forklift operators in Winston-Salem, NC run from $35,740 at the 10th percentile to $38,100 at the 25th, $46,030 at the 75th, and $52,180 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do forklift operators take home after taxes in Winston-Salem, NC?

On a median gross salary of $43,100, an estimated $35,600 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,369 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in North Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $7,500 (an effective rate of 17.4%).

How much do forklift operators make per month in Winston-Salem, NC?

On the median annual salary of $43,100, gross monthly income is $3,592. After federal, FICA, and North Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,967 per month (or $1,369 every two weeks).

Is $43,100 a good salary in Winston-Salem, NC?

At $43,100, the median salary for forklift operators is 65.3% of the Winston-Salem, NC median household income ($65,975). It is 7% below the $46,380 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.0, so prices here run 8% below the U.S. average.